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Hoo, boy. The Twitter reactions have been flying, and my mind remains in orbit, especially after Celestia’s musical. It’s a safe bet that “liquid pride” will be my top phrase for at least this Hearts and Hooves Week, if not the entire month. I couldn’t decide to whether to laugh or flinch toward the end of that parody, a most interesting counterpoint to that ponified Johto intro. It would appear that Star Swirl the Bearded was more important in the Equestrian Principality’s mythos that I previously guessed, and as I told the others on Equestria Daily, I will be certain to welcome any new story opportunities that arise as a result of this Princess Coronation.

Babylon 5, Codename: Kids Next Door, 24, and now, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I am many things at once, and many people might have different opinions about little, old me. If freedom is my main idea, then harmony, individuality, and modernization are the three attributes I now sense and track. Those three attributes and that idea combined to make the United States of America a great global superpower and Pearlshipping and Wishfulshipping great Pokémon couples, and now, they've combined to make those four shows truly great television programs to me. I will enjoy enthusiastically supporting the Equestrian ponies' adventures for peace, for humankind, for the future.

I'm surprised there's no war happening on Twitter, when stuff like this happens one would normally expect a huge angry mob. Very glad that is not the case.

I'm also glad the episode turned out to be pretty great, it's just part 2/3 that are going to get to me for the longest time.

What makes you so certain that the Season 4 premiere will be a part 2 to this episode? They could just move on to an entirely different plot (and I'm willing to bet they will, since they didn't really leave any loose ends at the end of this episode).

Originally Posted by TheBattleFrontierAsh1

Please don't make use wait as long as we have to for X an Y.

I certainly hope not. It was bad enough waiting for Season 3. I hope that the reason why they only made 13 episodes this season is because they're doing another set of 13 episodes in the summer.

Originally Posted by LizardonX

Tabitha has really let himself go, just how many lava cookies did he eat in the last 11 years?

Twilight seemed ... concerned about her ability to preform as a Princess. That'll probably be addressed over the course of the series, but I can see some immediate problem/emergency cropping up that sends her into doubt.

One of the worst episodes.

That got me thinking ... what is the worst episode?

I didn't think that this episode was terrible. I'd watch it again for sure, but there's some episodes I've watched only once ...

What makes you so certain that the Season 4 premiere will be a part 2 to this episode? They could just move on to an entirely different plot (and I'm willing to bet they will, since they didn't really leave any loose ends at the end of this episode).

I certainly hope not. It was bad enough waiting for Season 3. I hope that the reason why they only made 13 episodes this season is because they're doing another set of 13 episodes in the summer.

I'm with BFAsh on this one. I'm pretty confident that this plot will continue as the premiere for season 4, and that by the end of it, Twilight will no longer be a princess nor an alicorn. They have something where being a princess comes between her and her friends, so she gives it up after saving the world from probably a returned King Sombra or some new villain (I know this is a stretch, I just got on a roll xD).

I'm with BFAsh on this one. I'm pretty confident that this plot will continue as the premiere for season 4, and that by the end of it, Twilight will no longer be a princess nor an alicorn. They have something where being a princess comes between her and her friends, so she gives it up after saving the world from probably a returned King Sombra or some new villain (I know this is a stretch, I just got on a roll xD).

And I heard that Season 4 will be another 26 Episode season.

I wouldn't be too sure about that. Hasbro ordered this change to push a new line of toys (and not just ones related to Twilight). They wouldn't just 'reverse' something this substantial if they thought it was marketable as a product. Anyone that thinks differently doesn't know Hasbro very well.

Remember that this is the company that literally killed off most of the Gen 1 Transformers to push a second generation of toys. Can you honestly say they aren't the kinds of people that would make this kind of a change permanent? No. If I were a betting man, I'd say that we should expect even more substantial changes next season, especially if the toys sell well.

Last edited by SBaby; 17th February 2013 at 4:20 AM.

If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you'll never get it done.
- Bruce Lee

I wouldn't be too sure about that. Hasbro ordered this change to push a new line of toys (and not just ones related to Twilight). They wouldn't just 'reverse' something this substantial if they thought it was marketable as a product. Anyone that thinks differently doesn't know Hasbro very well.

Remember that this is the company that literally killed off most of the Gen 1 Transformers to push a second generation of toys. Can you honestly say they aren't the kinds of people that would make this kind of a change permanent? No. If I were a betting man, I'd say that we should expect even more substantial changes next season, especially if the toys sell well.

...Oh no. If this does happen, let's all pray that Hasbro doesn't dig their hand into the episode-making process. If they go too far with the product sales idea, we'll just have another version of the Pokemon anime or The Simpsons after the first 5 seasons or so, and who wants to sit through that?

...Oh no. If this does happen, let's all pray that Hasbro doesn't dig their hand into the episode-making process. If they go too far with the product sales idea, we'll just have another version of the Pokemon anime or The Simpsons after the first 5 seasons or so, and who wants to sit through that?

I didn't think that this episode was terrible. I'd watch it again for sure, but there's some episodes I've watched only once ...

I can't think of a single episode that I hated more than this one.

Originally Posted by Sparkbeat

so she gives it up after saving the world from probably a returned King Sombra or some new villain (I know this is a stretch, I just got on a roll xD).

If they brought Discord back, I think they can bring Sombra back too. I would love to see him make a return, but no reforming crap or anything (I don't even think that was appropriate for Discord, he's better as a neutral party). Speaking of everyone's favorite draconequus, what do you think will happen to Discord in future episodes? Celestia probably brought him back for something important, what could it be?

Originally Posted by SBaby

I wouldn't be too sure about that. Hasbro ordered this change to push a new line of toys (and not just ones related to Twilight). They wouldn't just 'reverse' something this substantial if they thought it was marketable as a product. Anyone that thinks differently doesn't know Hasbro very well.

No. If I were a betting man, I'd say that we should expect even more substantial changes next season, especially if the toys sell well.

Yeah, this is obviously a marketing gimmick so they can sell Princess Twilight toys. As for what else they might do, can you say "new main characters". IDK if that would be a good decision, but I can see them doing it (and it could work out quite well if they had to).

Originally Posted by PokeMaster366

...Oh no. If this does happen, let's all pray that Hasbro doesn't dig their hand into the episode-making process. If they go too far with the product sales idea, we'll just have another version of the Pokemon anime or The Simpsons after the first 5 seasons or so, and who wants to sit through that?

If Pokemon becomes as boring and devoid of plot as Pokemon, I'll quit this series in a heartbeat.

Originally Posted by Monster Guy

What's the worse that could happen? They all become Alicorns?

That'd be pretty awesome, actually.

Originally Posted by LizardonX

Tabitha has really let himself go, just how many lava cookies did he eat in the last 11 years?

Much worse. We get to a point where bad writing in a show can be justified by this:

Originally Posted by ABSOLute Zer0

This show is created with little girls in mind. The show creators have to cater to them more than us.

One of the main things that drew me to the show was that it didn't fall into this trap. Rather than making the idea of appealing to a certain demographic take the highest priority, the writers focus much, MUCH more on just writing a good story. I've seen too many shows jump the shark or just outright get cancelled because of the lack of zeroes on the paychecks they reign in.

Much worse. We get to a point where bad writing in a show can be justified by this:

One of the main things that drew me to the show was that it didn't fall into this trap. Rather than making the idea of appealing to a certain demographic take the highest priority, the writers focus much, MUCH more on just writing a good story. I've seen too many shows jump the shark or just outright get cancelled because of the lack of zeroes on the paychecks they reign in.

Good point. I do feel like Hasbro's executive meddling may very well ruin what the writers are striving for.

Originally Posted by LizardonX

Tabitha has really let himself go, just how many lava cookies did he eat in the last 11 years?

Good point. I do feel like Hasbro's executive meddling may very well ruin what the writers are striving for.

And it's probably why I didn't like this Season 3 Finale. The whole episode felt like that fine print or contract that everyone has to sign before they go on the exciting roller coaster or that giant pill of week that someone in their seventies has to take. No one wants to do either of those boring and painful things, but it needs to be done at one point so that they can get to the fun stuff or actually live long enough to at least see something exciting. Season 3 just felt like one of those moments. It felt like the writers were drawing with one hand and stabbing themselves with an extremely sharp pencil in the other just to remind themselves "There are more painful things than this. There are more painful things than this."

And it's probably why I didn't like this Season 3 Finale. The whole episode felt like that fine print or contract that everyone has to sign before they go on the exciting roller coaster or that giant pill of week that someone in their seventies has to take. No one wants to do either of those boring and painful things, but it needs to be done at one point so that they can get to the fun stuff or actually live long enough to at least see something exciting. Season 3 just felt like one of those moments. It felt like the writers were drawing with one hand and stabbing themselves with an extremely sharp pencil in the other just to remind themselves "There are more painful things than this. There are more painful things than this."

I don't really feel the same way, I feel like the idea had potential, but they weren't really given enough time to flesh it out. Had this episode been a two parter, they probably could've softened the blow by going into more details of the consequences of this plot twist and how it could affect future episodes.

Originally Posted by LizardonX

Tabitha has really let himself go, just how many lava cookies did he eat in the last 11 years?

Yeah, this is obviously a marketing gimmick so they can sell Princess Twilight toys.

Maybe but I'll hold my breath until it "ruins" the story. If Twilight doesn't not have her crown removed, then it's fine by me so long as they make it work. I don't know how exactly but I've been shocked before (in a good way).

It felt like the writers were drawing with one hand and stabbing themselves with an extremely sharp pencil in the other just to remind themselves "There are more painful things than this. There are more painful things than this."

Are you always this pessimistic and susceptible to despair? I think you'd get along well with this guy:

Speaking of opposition, I’m thinking of Rescue at Midnight Castle, my starting point for the background behind this franchise. This year, exactly three decades will have passed since My Little Pony started setting the tone for girl-oriented cartoons, even though Bonnie Zacherle wanted girls and boys alike to play with the pony sets themselves. That roundup this morning at Equestria Daily provided that piece of information, and with that in mind, I played Princess Celestia’s special song earlier this morning.:

*You’ve come such a long, long way,
And I’ve watched you from that very first day,
To see how you might grow,
To see what you might do,
To see what you’ve been through,
And all the ways you’ve made me proud of you.

It’s time now for a new change to come.
You’ve grown up, and your new life has begun
To go where you will go,
To see what you will see,
To find what you will be,
For it’s time for you… to fulfill your destiny.*

It could very well be that this song isn’t addressed to just Twilight, but the entire franchise itself, starting with the first generation. After three decades of doubt and derision, My Little Pony has turned into a global cultural force, perhaps surpassing even Ms. Zacherle’s imagination. If it once was a product of the 1980s, then now, I see it firmly as a reflection of the 2010s. To put it in a different way, if Japan planted the seeds of cuteness in the minds of millions, then My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic took those seeds all the way to full bloom. I actually opine that in this case, the songs communicated the overall theme for the episode, and the rest of you can guess that the other bronies are aware of that idea on my part.

Babylon 5, Codename: Kids Next Door, 24, and now, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I am many things at once, and many people might have different opinions about little, old me. If freedom is my main idea, then harmony, individuality, and modernization are the three attributes I now sense and track. Those three attributes and that idea combined to make the United States of America a great global superpower and Pearlshipping and Wishfulshipping great Pokémon couples, and now, they've combined to make those four shows truly great television programs to me. I will enjoy enthusiastically supporting the Equestrian ponies' adventures for peace, for humankind, for the future.

I thought this episode was average on the whole, but I liked the songs. Especially the first one. I love reprises.

But then... then something happened that changed everything. And I can't believe that nobody has mentioned it yet.

Derpy. Derpy! She's here! And she winked at us! Yay! Honestly, I can't even adequately express how awesome it is that she's chillin' in the background. Not overly visible, like in season 2, but there. Because of her, I get the feeling that the animators still know that we exist.

"One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties.
Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.
Goodbye Susan. Goodbye my dear."
-The First Doctor

I thought this episode was average on the whole, but I liked the songs. Especially the first one. I love reprises.

But then... then something happened that changed everything. And I can't believe that nobody has mentioned it yet.

Derpy. Derpy! She's here! And she winked at us! Yay! Honestly, I can't even adequately express how awesome it is that she's chillin' in the background. Not overly visible, like in season 2, but there. Because of her, I get the feeling that the animators still know that we exist.

She appears once early on in Ponyville while Twilight is singing the first song, standing static on a bridge.
The second time (winking) is just after Twilight makes her speech and turns inside to talk to Shining Armor. She's in the bottom left corner behind some other ponies.
The third time is during the final song, when the mane six are trotting in a line together. She's at the edge of the crowd at the right of the screen.

"One day, I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties.
Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.
Goodbye Susan. Goodbye my dear."
-The First Doctor